Tea Filter Straw

ABSTRACT

This invention, the tea filter straw, is a slender hollow shaped straw design with one end closed off and filter holes at this closed end directly built into the tea filter straw design. This invention allows for instant tea to be made not from a substitute derivative tea powder, but from any type, brand, and combination of authentic tea leaves. Any form of tea leaves is added to a liquid, most likely water, and after shaking the drinking container for a desired amount of time, the tea flavor rapidly diffuses throughout the container, causing the liquid to taste like the tea leaves have been brewed to completion. Once this takes place, the tea filter straw is inserted into the drinking container to drink the tea. The filter holes are small enough to not allow tea leaves and particulate to enter the tea filter straw, just the tea liquid. The straw and filter are one continuous piece, meaning the filter holes are directly built into the straw.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When using tea leaves, whether in loose leaf or granular form, to make tea, there is currently not a way to make instant tea. Commonly used tea bags, such as the square and pyramid designs made from filter paper, offer ease of brewing a drink by steeping the tea bag into a liquid, most notably water. However, using this method still does not allow for instant tea; the consumer still has to wait for a period of time to allow the tea to brew.

The powdered instant teas currently available have tried to fill the gap for a fast disposable tea substitute in which the drinking container can be reused. However, while this does allow for on-the-go activities, the taste of these tea derivatives does not rival the taste of freshly brewed tea leaves, which are found predominately in the bulky tea bags or loose leaf form. There is a gap in quality in the powdered instant teas, and there is nothing in the market to fill this gap of authentic tea taste with an on-the-go format.

Through diffusion properties, when tea leaves are directly added to a liquid, such as water, the tea leaf flavor will instantly diffuse into the liquid—full authentic tea flavor can be achieved in as little as thirty seconds, if not sooner. However, the tea leaves are mixed with the liquid, and could cause a choking hazard when swallowed, not to mention a granular liquid taste. To combat this, this invention, the tea filter straw, is uniquely designed to extract the tea liquid while leaving the tea leaves and particulate in the drinking container. This technique, used in conjunction with the tea filter straw, can be used in any sized drinking container, in any environment suitable for drinking. The tea filter straw can also be used with any sized drinking container, and in any environment.

The only invention, that I am aware of, to use a straw filter type approach was found in patent CA2253771, filed in November 1998. The design had a filtering unit that could attach to any drinking straw, and allowed for instant filtering in a liquid. The filtering material was disposable and had to be changed out. The tea filter straw design is different in that the straw and the filter section are one continuous piece, and this invention does not have a filter material that needs to be changed out—the filter is built directly into the tea filter straw.

In conclusion, as far as I am aware, no tea filter straw has been made that can be used to make instant tea using authentic tea leaves, allowing for a taste that is on par with using tea leaves from a common tea bag or loose leaf form, and can be used in any size drinking container.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a slender shaped straw design with one end closed off and filter holes at the closed end which are directly built into the tea filter straw. The tea filter straw allows for instant tea to be made not from a derivative powder, but from any type, brand, and combination of tea leaves. Tea leaves are added to a liquid, most likely water, and after shaking the drinking container for a desired amount of time, the tea flavor rapidly diffuses throughout the container. Once diffusion takes place, the tea filter straw is inserted into the drinking container to drink the tea. The filter holes are small enough to not allow tea leaves and particulate to enter the straw, just the tea liquid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

The drawing shows the features of the tea filter straw, such as the cylindrical hollow shell tube, the open end at the top, and the closed bottom end with the filter holes surrounding the closed bottom end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a slender hollow straw-shaped design, as depicted in the drawing, measuring between 5.0 mm to 20.0 mm inner diameter, between 10.0 mm to 40.0 mm total diameter, and between 5.0 inches to 12.0 inches in total length. One end of the tea filter straw is closed off, and on this closed end there are rows of concentric holes that go through the thickness of the straw wall. These holes are small enough, between 0.5 mm and 3.0 mm, to not allow tea leaf particulate to come through when the consumer sucks on the open end of the tea filter straw, but only allow the tea flavored liquid to pass. If the tea leaf particulate clogs the holes, the consumer can blow into the open end of the tea filter straw, which will allow the pressurized air to force out any blockage in the filter holes, and allow the consumer to continue using the tea filter straw. Thus, a person can add tea leaves directly to a liquid, such as water, shake for a desired time to allow for more immediate and rapid diffusion, and use this invention to drink the authentic instant tea. Using this technique, within 30 seconds or less, the consumer gets instant tea that tastes like it was brewed to completion. The shape and size of the tea filter straw make it ideal to fit inside any sized drinking container, and the drinking container can be reused if desired by cleaning out the tea leaves. Or if the consumer wants, they can add more tea leaves to the existing tea mix already present in the drinking container, and use the tea filter straw to continue drinking. Any type, brand, and combination of tea leaves can be used with this invention. There is no filter material that needs to be removed and/or replaced as the filter holes are built directly into the tea filter straw design. This invention is one continuous piece, where there are no detachable parts.

The drawing shows the features mentioned above in regards to the tea filter straw, such as the cylindrical hollow shell tube, the open end at the top, referenced as 1 in the drawing, and the closed bottom end with the filter holes surrounding the closed off end, referenced as 2 in the drawing. On the top end, 1, the hollow design is shown, indicative of a typical straw design. The bottom end, 2, which is closed off, is encompassed with small filter holes that surround the circumference of the tea filter straw. These filter holes do not run the entire length of the tea filter straw, but are found only at the closed end, 2. As shown in the drawing, both the straw and the filter section are one continuous piece. 

We claim:
 1. The tea filter straw is a cylindrical hollow shaped tube design, much akin to a straw, between 5.0 mm to 20.0 mm inner diameter, between 10 mm to 40.0 mm total diameter, and between 5.0 inches to 12.0 inches in total length, where the top end of the cylindrical tube is open and the bottom end is closed; from the top all the way to the bottom, the interior of the tube design is hollowed out.
 2. The end of the cylindrical hollow tube that is closed off, as defined in claim 1, will have rows of holes surrounding the circumference of the closed end, that will allow for filtration to occur, and are between 0.5 mm and 3.0 mm in size.
 3. The holes used for filtering, as defined in claim 2, do not have any filter material that needs to be replaced, as the holes are a permanent part of the tea filter straw design.
 4. The approach to making the tea filter straw, as defined in claims 1, 2, and 3, can vary in accordance with different techniques, machinery, etc. 